Snap, Crackle, Pop

f o u r t e e n

"Welcome back Richelle."  Macy said as Richelle's eyes fluttered open.

"Hey Macy."  Richelle whispered.  Her eyes dropped closed again.  

"The surgery went well sweetheart."

"Oh thats great."  Riches said, still in a very dazed state.

"Yes.  Should I go call your friend, Lola?  She seems pretty worried about you last night.

"Probably.  She's sooooo sweet like that.  Cares so much."  Richelle said, yawning.   "I'm so lucky to have her.  Oh and text Emily.  Tell her that I'm doing awesome.  Not only am I great at dancing, but I also rock surgeries."  Richelle said.  Macy laughed a little, Richelle was so completely out of it.  It was almost like one of those videos of the kids after getting their wisdom teeth out.  

She reached for her phone out of her purse, first texting Emily, saying, Richelle just woke up and she's doing well.  She told me to tell you, and I quote, "tell her that I'm doing awesome. Not only am I great at dancing, but I also rock surgeries."  

She sent the text and then dialed Lola's number into her phone.  Lola picked up after only a few seconds after Macy called.

"Ms. Astor, how is she?  Please tell me she's okay?"

"She doing well.  The surgery took longer than than the doctors thought since the size of the tear, but it went well Lola.  She should recover perfectly fine."

"That's incredible.  When do you think I can visit her Ms. Astor?"

"She just woke up.  The doctors said they are keeping her at least overnight for observation.  We'll probably take her home tomorrow.  So maybe then."

"Oh, yeah, of course.  Um, I should text the rest of team.  Could you have Richelle text me when she feels up to it?"

"Of course sweetheart.  Bye." 

Macy reached to put her phone back in her pocket.  She turned back to Richelle, her eyes closed again.  Macy sighed, maybe if she had spent little more time at home this would have gone differently.  She had adopted Richelle after hearing her families story on the news, but she had jumped into it so fast that she never really thought about the repercussions it could have on the already damage girl.  Macy did really try for the first few months to really be a mom that was there for her though.  And then once Richelle found her place at The Next Step, Macy felt like she could take a step back.  At the time, Richelle had Noah, Camille, Ms. Kate, and Emily.  But that was a long time ago and she now realized that Richelle had needed her.

She should have realized what a task it was to be a single mother running her own business -- after all, her mother had complained about almost everyday when Macy was growing up.  Sure, she had had a sitter for Richelle when Richelle first moved in with her, but Richelle was sixteen now and having something like that seemed like something that would embarrass the teenager. But she did need to figure some sort of plan for when Richelle was better, she couldn't just keep leaving the teenager by herself, even if she did spend most days at the studio or with Lola.

And ring from her phone shook her awake from her deep thought.  She quickly walked outside of Richelle's room, trying her very best to not wake the sleeping girl on her way out.  She read the contact name, Noah St. James.  "Of course," she mumbled to herself, slightly smiling.

"Hey Ms. Astor!  Is it true what Lola said?  That the surgery went well?"

"Yes Noah, the surgery went well.  I should be able to take her home tomorrow."

"That's a relief.  Could I come visit her?"

"Maybe once I take her home."  Macy paused.  The question had been bothering her since she first saw Richelle in the hospital and the red ballon that had a card at the bottom signed Noah.  "Noah, I have to ask, why are you so worried?  I thought you and Richelle had drifted apart?  I mean even this year for her birthday, you guys only got ice cream together.  Not the smoothies in the morning and dinner in the night thing you guys awalys do."  She heard Noah take a deep breath on the other line.

"Well, I'm dating Jacquie now and just for starters, I'm not even sure how well those two get along.  They both have a pretty serious competitive edge to them.  But how could I not worry about Richelle?  I mean wether or not she is now, she was my best friend for basically all of my childhood.  I'm also her dance captain and I think that's apart of the title to care.  To be honest, I'm not really sure.  And I know I haven't been the best friend, or dance captain for that matter, but I still care.  Theres no way I could ever not care about her."

A/n It's been awhile hasn't it!  I've just been super busy with dance, school, and traveling.  A big thanks to everyone who has read and commented while I've been gone.  4.7k reads is insane!  I'm not really sure what this chapter is, I just felt like I needed to write something.  Figures crossed for another update soon.  I think in the next chapter or the one after that I might finally explain Richelle's backstory.